The Best Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Ice Cream Base (That's Actually Creamy!)

This low-calorie Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Ice Cream recipe is packed with 40g protein and has no sugar! The perfect recipe for late-night ice cream cravings and the best base for any mix-ins!

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This low-calorie Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Ice Cream is packed with 40g protein and has no sugar! The perfect recipe for late-night ice cream cravings and the best base for any mix-ins!

If you're anything like me, you want a good base vanilla protein ice cream so you can add whatever mix-ins your heart desires. That's why I set out to solve the problem of finding the perfect high protein Ninja Creami vanilla ice cream base recipe.
Cookies, Oreos, Chocolate Chips, Fruit - choose your mix in and you have the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth!

I tried a few different variations and got some icy results, but this recipe was a total game-changer!

The perfect, creamy texture comes from a mix of protein powders (both whey and whey-casein), and cottage cheese. Now you can have your ice cream and eat it too.

Ingredients for Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream with Pudding Mix:

Here's what you need to make this perfect base recipe for a ninja creami protein ice cream with pudding mix

Vanilla Protein Powder for high protein Ninja Creami creami ice cream! Use a good quality protein powder since this will determine the taste of your ice cream.
I used half whey-casein from Quest Nutrition, half whey isolate from Legion.
Unflavored Protein Powder: An optional addition that helps add even more protein to your pint. I recommend the one from Peachie Spoon or Isopure.
Sugar-free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix: The sugar-free pudding mix is a key ingredient for brinding the ingredients texture.I love the one from Simply Delish; Its actually plant based!
Unsweetened Almond Milk: Provides a low-calorie base for the ice cream mix.
1% Lowfat Milk: A little bit of regular milk helps with the texture and creaminess.
Low-fat Cottage Cheese: This is the secret to a the proper creaminess! I recommend low fat for some amount of fat (creaminess) but also keep the calories low.

See recipe card at the bottom of the page for the measurements!

Alternate Ingredients for a Creamy Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Recipe

Here's some options you can use to swap out some ingredients and still get a delicious Ninja creamu ice cream:

Vanilla Protein: Swap this for a peanut butter or any other flavor protein that you prefer.
Almond Milk: You can use any skim low fat milk of your choice here - low fat milk, skim milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
Even fat free fairlife milk would be great!
1% milk: A slightly thicker milk than almond milk is needed; Any 2% milk or even whole milk would work.
Cottage Cheese: You can substitute it with nonfat or lowfat plain Greek yogurt if you'd like.
Pudding Mix: You can use a small amount of xanthan gum (¼ tsp) as a binder to achieve a similar result; I haven't tried it yet though so if you do, let me know!

Dairy-Free

Use coconut yogurt (instead of cottage cheese), coconut milk (instead of 1% milk) and plant-based protein powder like this one from KOS. Be sure to taste the mixture for sweetness and extra vanilla extract or stevia sweetener if needed.

This low-calorie Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Ice Cream recipe is packed with 40g protein and has no sugar! The perfect recipe for late-night ice cream cravings and the best base for any mix-ins!

How to make a Ninja Creami Vanilla Protein Base Recipe

Making this ninja creami caramel ice cream recipe is really easy with very little hands-on time:

First, grab your Ninja Creami pint.
If you have the Deluxe, you'll want to use 1.5 times the ingredients listed.
Next, toss all the ingredients into the pint: almond milk and 1% milk, the cottage cheese, the vanilla and unflavored protein powders, and the pudding mix.
Use an immersion blender to mix everything up until it's completely smooth and creamy. You don't want any lumps here!
Give the sides of the container a quick scrape to make sure every last bit is mixed in. Just be sure your mixture stays below the max fill line on the ninja creami pint jar.
Now, pop the lid on and place the pint in the freezer for at least 24 hours. The key to a great texture is making sure it's frozen solid all the way through.
Once it's frozen, lock the pint into your Ninja Creami outer bowl and hit the Lite Ice Cream button.
If the ice cream looks crumbly, add in about ½ tablespoon of milk, put the container back in, and hit the Re-Spin button.
That second spin is what gives it a smooth and scoopable consistency.
And that's it! Scoop into a bowl, add your favorite toppings and enjoy your delicious, protein-packed ice cream.

Ninja Creami Protein Ice Cream Tips

Blend Well: Bend the base well or the ice cream will not be smooth. I recommend using an immersion blender since it is most convenient.
How to make Ninja Creami not icy: The secret to keep this ninja creami protein powder vanilla ice cream is to include the cottage cheese, and the pudding mix. They act as binders and help create a smooth, creamy texture instead of a crumbly, icy one.
Taste the ice cream mixture: Your ice cream will taste like this, so be sure you like it; Add extra sweetener or vanilla extract if you need!
Don't Go Over the Max Fill Line: This is very important to avoid damaging the Ninja Creami machine.
Don't rush the freeze: Make sure the pint is frozen solid for at least 24 hours. If you're in a rush, you can also keep it for about 12 hours.
Scrape down the sides: After blending with the immersion blender, give the sides a good scrape to ensure all the protein powder is mixed in. This prevents any grainy bits in the final product.
Re-spin: If your ice cream comes out crumbly on the first spin, add a tiny amount of milk and run the re-spin.

Equipment

This is the Ninja creami (7-in-1) that I have; You can also use the fancy 11-in-1 one if you would like!

10/10 recommend using good immersion blender here. I love this cordless one from KitchenAid, but you can use a regular one too.

Alternatively, blend everything in a high speed blender and then transfer it to your ninja creami pint jar.

How to Store Low Calorie Ninja Creami Ice Cream

If you happen to have any leftovers, you can put the lid back on the pint and keep it back in the freezer. When you're ready to eat it again, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to soften, or put it back into the Creami for another re-spin to get the right consistency.

Some FAQs about Protein Powder Ninja Creami Ice Cream

How to make Ninja Creami not icy?

The most likely reason your Ninja Creami is icy is because you didn't freeze for long enough, or not having enough 'creamy' ingredients. Make sure your pint is frozen solid for at least 24 hours. Be sure to use the cottage cheese and the pudding mix.

Can I use just one type of protein powder?

Yes; you can choose to use all whey or all whey-casein, but the texture might vary. A blend of whey and casein provides the best results for a creamy, thick ice cream. Whey alone can sometimes lead to a slightly icier texture.
All whey-casein should be perfect though!

What is a healthy mix in for Ninja Creami?

This vanilla Ninja Creami protein ice cream is a blank canvas! For a low-sugar option, try adding sugar-free chocolate chips, fresh berries, or some pretzels before the final spin.

What is the nutrition information for this protein powder Ninja Creami ice cream recipe?

This recipe yields one pint with approximately 275 calories, 6.6g fat, 13.5g carbs, and a whopping 40.8g protein. These are fantastic macros for a satisfying and healthy dessert!

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Did you try this recipe? I'd LOVE to know!
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